MAGENTA HARVEST is a sort of Finnish super group, comprising vocalist Vreth from FINNTROLL, here behind his real name Mathias Lillmans, and the two ex-...AND OCEANS Janne Manninen and Timo Kontio, at drums and lead guitar respectively.

After two demos and their debut LP "Volatile Waters" in 2014, MAGENTA HARVEST releases this "...And Then Came the Dust" via Apostasy records: this is a good black/death metal platter blending together different nuances and influences, subtly and sneakily invading more trash and symphonic black territories.

What we find in this LP doesn't actually stand far from their latest works; in this sense, this is not a masterpiece or a game-changer release but surely it's a pleasant work from an experienced line-up that knows how to put together 9 listen worthy tracks.
Kontio-Hanhikangas riffing is clean and skilled: although it's nothing unheard of, they can lay down a fine dose of catchy violence laced in the typical Nordic melody, with AT THE GATES and HYPOCRISY being the first influences that'll ring in your mind,

Good and limited use of keyboards supports guitars well, giving a mystic Finnish aura to the band: on the other hand, it's the brutal - melody juxtaposition to give this band a plus and lifting them from being merely another band in the scene; this will appeal both those listeners interested in raw and brutal unleashed force and those who prefer a more polished and shiny work.

Song sequence is well laid and built and only the experimental interlude "The Search For the Higher Water", a brief woodwinds instrumental, seems to be out of the general mood of the album. Long opening track "Flock of Reckoning", "When your World Turns to Glass", "Signs of Death" and "The Murderous Breed" show on the other hand how well these Finnish can perform in more heavy lands. The album proceeds toward the end with a bit of tiredness emerging, although no filler track can actually be spotted: the band was good in limiting track list to 9 songs before a clear descent into boredom.

This is an honest and pleasant work, although it does lack a bit of memorability and it's in the end a bit tasteless: MAGENTA HARVEST skills and ability are not on trial here, we just hope this "...And then Came the Dust" is a just a step forward in laying foundations to a more unique sound for the band.